Sectin 6 Students Schl District N. 71 (Cmx Valley) Administrative Prcedure 6011 MR2 Allergies and Anaphylaxis 1. Intrductin The Bard f Educatin expects schls t reasnably accmmdate students with medically diagnsed allergies, particularly where thse allergies are life threatening. It is the respnsibility f Schl District 71 (Cmx Valley) t: a. minimize the risk t students with severe allergies t ptential life-threatening allergens withut depriving the severely allergic student f nrmal peer interactins r placing unreasnable restrictins n the activities f ther students in the schl. b. ensure that students at risk f anaphylaxis are identified, strategies are in place t minimize the ptential f accidental expsure and staff and key vlunteers are trained t respnd in an emergent situatin. Anaphylaxis is sudden and severe allergic reactin which can be fatal. Anaphylaxis is a medical emergency that requires immediate emergency treatment with an Epinephrine aut-injectr. Any substance can cause an allergic reactin. The mst cmmn substances include fds, fd additives, medicatins, insects and latex. Anaphylaxis can include any f the fllwing symptms, which may appear alne r in any cmbinatin: Skin: hives, swelling, itching, warmth, redness, rash Respiratry (breathing): wheezing, shrtness f breath, thrat tightness, cugh, harse vice, chest pain/tightness, nasal cngestin f hay fever-like systems (runny itchy nse and watery eyes, sneezing), truble swallwing Gastrintestinal (stmach): nausea, pain/cramps, vmiting, diarrhea Cardivascular (heart): pale/blue clur, weak pulse, passing ut, dizzy/lightheaded, shck Other: anxiety, feeling f impending dm, headache, uterine cramps (in females) Schl District N. 71 (Cmx Valley) cannt guarantee an allergy free envirnment. It is expected that schl staff, parents and students will take reasnable steps t establish an allergy aware envirnment that minimizes the risk f ptential anaphylaxis. Schls must take realistic and practical actins that will encurage the supprt f everyne invlved.
Any allergy may develp int an anaphylactic reactin. Schls, in cnjunctin with parents, students and the Public Health Nurse (PHN), if apprpriate, will develp an Anaphylaxis Health Plan when a student with an anaphylactic allergy is under their care. The Anaphylaxis Health Plan will include ways f minimizing risk fr the student, as well as prcedures fr respnding t anaphylaxis. These plans will be cnsidered in the cntext f the anaphylactic child s age and maturity. As children mature, they shuld be expected t take increasing persnal respnsibility fr avidance f their specific allergens. An Anaphylaxis Planning Checklist is prvided in this regulatin fr schl use t ensure apprpriate cmmunicatin and respnse is taken at the schl when a parent identifies an allergy and the plan is then develped. 2. Regulatins These regulatins wuld als apply t medically diagnsed cnditins and sensitivities, such as asthma, and ther neurlgical r respiratry diseases that are cmparable t allergies in their effect but which may nt specifically be diagnsed as allergies. a) The student s parent r guardian has the primary duty t infrm schl authrities abut their child s medical cnditin upn registratin f the child r upn medical diagnsis f the medical prgram. b) Registratin prcedures will inquire as t whether r nt a student has medical prblems f which the schl shuld be aware. c) Where medicatin is either required r is t be n hand, the principal shall ensure that relevant infrmatin is prvided t all supervisry persns. In instances where the allergy is life-threatening, parents are t be required t prvide written medical advice frm the child s physician. Parents must sign a Medical Alert and Prescribed Medicatin Recrd (6001MR1) fr administratin f medicatin. d) In develping a reasnable accmmdatin f the student with anaphylaxis, an Anaphylaxis Health Plan will be develped. The classrm teacher/advisr, the parents/guardians, the administratin shall develp the plan. Other persns may be invlved as determined t be necessary including the Public Health Nurse (if apprpriate.) Cnsideratin shuld be given t: Ensuring all staff (administrative, teaching, and supprt staff including bus drivers) wh cme in cntact with the student are aware f the allergy; Avidance f allergens frm fd prducts prepared fr all schl-spnsred activities and schl/cmmunity functins; Requesting that staff and students cperate in seeking t eliminate allergens frm the student s schl envirnment; Bard Adpted: Nvember 22, 2011 Revisins: 6
Requesting that playgrund areas are maintained t eliminate ptential allergens, i.e. knwn wasp nests r bee hives; Remving carpet, draperies and ther allergenic materials frm the student s classrm; Psting signage identifying the allergy and allergens n the apprpriate entrances t the student s classrm(s); Educatin f the student and parent cmmunity, staff and fd handlers; Standards f hygiene and maintenance fr facilities and students; Custdial and maintenance prducts and rutines; Classrm and schl rutines: age, maturity and ability f student, and expectatins regarding persnal respnsibility; Emergency prcedures and preparatin fr such prcedure t be fllwed shuld a dangerus allergen be intrduced t the classrm. Parents/guardians are respnsible fr instructing their child: Hw t avid cntact with the substances t which they are allergic; In the case f fd allergies, t eat nly fds which have been prepared by the parent; T wear a medical alert device; Where apprpriate, hw t self-administer medicatin. Parents/guardians shuld prvide all medicatin and equipment such as Epi-Pens. Further, it is the parents r guardians respnsibility t ensure that such medicatin has nt passed its expiry date. This medicatin shall be kept in unlcked lcatins that are knwn t and are easily accessed by supervising adults. 3. Avidance Strategies a) Schls which enrl students with allergies that may be life-threatening shuld infrm all parents/guardians f this fact in the first newsletter hme, with advice n what parents might d t supprt the schl and the student. The students shuld nt be identified. b) Teachers shall ensure that ther students are aware f thse students wh may be adversely affected by fd, animals, plants r ther allergens brught int the classrm. Bard Adpted: Nvember 22, 2011 Revisins: 6
c) With regard t prviding a safe envirnment, schls enrlling a student(s) with allergies shuld review all fd-related and ther schl activities that might lead t the pssible intrductin f an allergen. d) Where a parent/guardian r student refuses t cperate, the schl prcedures shall be fllwed and the family shall be referred t the superintendent s ffice. e) In instances where a dangerus substance is knwn t have been brught t the classrm, the schl shuld advise all students and families cncerned f the prcedures t be fllwed. f) Instructins n the use f the aut-injectr (Epi-Pen) shuld be psted in clearly visible lcatins, alng with a list f symptms and emergency prcedures. The aut-injectrs must be stred in a cvered, secure, unlcked area fr quick access. g) Fr kindergarten and primary grade students, classrms f the children with allergies shuld be made as safe as reasnably pssible. In extreme instances, a segregated envirnment may be necessary. Such recmmendatins shuld be made t the superintendent s ffice. h) Fr kindergarten and primary-grade students with life-threatening allergies, all parents/ guardians f children in thse classes shuld be apprpriately infrmed f the need fr a safe envirnment and asked nt t send fd prducts r ther substances deemed dangerus t the children with fd r ther substance allergies. i) Fr lder, mre mature students with allergies, primary respnsibility shuld be assigned t them in cnsultatin with the parent/guardians. 4. Emergency Prcedures a) At the beginning f each schl year, at schls enrlling a student r students with allergies, the administratin will arrange fr the prvisin f staff training fr the treatment f students at risk f anaphylaxis. Such training is t include the use f epinephrine autinjectin devices, strage f and access t Epi-Pens, and prcedures t be fllwed t secure further medical attentin. b) Under the guidance f the Public Health Nurse (PHN), if apprpriate, a simulated incident and emergency respnse may be held. Where deemed apprpriate and with parent/ guardian permissin, the student with the allergy and peers f the student may participate in the simulatin. 5. Disputes Where agreement cannt be reached as t reasnable accmmdatin, the dispute shall be referred t the appeals prcess fr reslutin. Bard Adpted: Nvember 22, 2011 Revisins: 6
ANAPHYLAXIS PLANNING CHECKLIST As per Plicy Manual Management Regulatin 6011MR1, Sectin 2.2, the classrm teacher/advisr, the parents/guardians, the schl administratin and the Public Health Nurse (PHN), if apprpriate, shall develp a Health Plan fr the student. This checklist will assist in the develpment f the plan. Student Name The Principal r designate will ensure that all staff and parental helpers wh are in cntact with the student(s) are aware f the child s allergic/anaphylactic cnditin. The Principal r designate will make everyne invlved with fd prduct preparatin fr schl-wide spnsred activities and schl cmmunity functins aware s that these allergens will be eliminated. Thrugh staff meetings and classrm newsletters, staff and parents will be requested t cperate in seeking t eliminate specific allergens frm the schl envirnment. The staff, student(s) and the parent cmmunity will be educated n Anaphylaxis and the use f the Epi-pen by Public Health Nursing, parents and/r ther trained persnnel (e.g. First Aid Designate). Custdial staff will be infrmed by the administratin s that prper cleaning rutines are in place. Emergency prcedures and preparatin fr such prcedures t be fllwed shuld a dangerus allergen be intrduced t the classrm, (i.e. if a child brings a peanut butter sandwich t a classrm where there is a child with a severe peanut allergy, that child and a friend will eat utside f the classrm, wipe ff the table and wash his/her hands befre entering back in t the classrm.) Parents/guardians are respnsible fr instructing their child(ren) n hw t avid cntact with allergic substances, t eat nly fds prepared by the parents, t wear a medical alert device and where apprpriate, hw t self-administer medicatin. Parents will prvide all medicatin, making sure that such medicatin has nt passed the expiry date. Office staff will ensure that medicatins are kept in an unlcked lcatin knwn t all supervising adults. Children shuld carry an Epi-pen with them and the ffice shuld have a back up. Bard Adpted: Nvember 22, 2011 Revisins: 6
Parents will als prvide the schl with three up-t-date pictures that will be visibly lcated thrughut the schl in apprpriate lcatins such as the ffice, staffrm, and staff wrk rms. Thrugh a newsletter, the entire schl parent cmmunity will be infrmed f life-threatening allergies. The student(s) names shuld nt be identified. Where a parent/guardian refuses t cperate, the schl prcedures shall be fllwed and the family shuld be referred t the superintendent s ffice. Instructins n the use f the Epi-pen shuld be psted in clearly visible lcatins, alng with a list f symptms and emergency prcedures. Medicatins, including Epi-pens, fr individual students are available. In the elementary schls, this invlves strage in the @Risk Rescue kit. In the secndary schls, the student is respnsible t carry his/her Epi Pen as apprpriate. Bard Adpted: Nvember 22, 2011 Revisins: 6